Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-06-30
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
Topics of Interest Relating to
Farm and Household
Management.
Information for the Plowman, Stock.
man, PonItcrer, Nurseryman,
and Housewife.
THE FARMER.


Tho more high-bred and spirited the
horse the more dainty he will be about his
feed, and the greater care must be taken
10 keep feed boxes and managers FREQ from
filth. Almost any scrub would, however,
refuse TO eat out of managers ms they often
nre left, with portions of tho unconsumed
hay or grain to be run over and soiled by
fowls while the horse is away Mt work;
This is too common condition ct many
farmers stables at this season, when in-
creasing warmth dullS the appetite and
makes solid food doubly offensive by its
decay. Many hard worked horse gets off
his feed, ns it is said, md grows poor from
this cause alone. More care should be
taken OF this season to feed only wha! will
be eaten clean, whether of hay, meal, or
grain. If any remains when the horse is
taken out in the morning to work it
should be removed from the feed box and
given to some other animal that will eat it
outside the stable,
The Roots Of Corn.
We lhiuh the timo is near at hnnd, writes
correspondent of the Western Rnrdl,
when farmers will be engaged in culti-
waiting this cereal; and us not n few pursue
o course injurious 10 the best development
of the crop, / have concluded to give your
search aud observation. The corn is fur
nished with two sets of roots. The lower
Is for the development and susenance of
tho stalk, and ut nm early period in the age
of the cereal is probably out of reach of
the plow, and not in danger of being in
jured by deep plowing. The upper set OF
roots exercise the function of developing
aud perfecting the ear. Deep plowing Is
liable to sever them and thus retard the
development of tho car and thus lessen
the chanceA of it's being what might have
been by judicious cultivation full crop.
Corn land should be frequently stirred
from tho time it is few inches high until
it is time 10 lay 1t by In order 10 keep tho
weeds down, and especially in dry seasons,
to henp earth around the hills, but this
should be done with implements that do
not penetrate deeply enough to interfere
with the corn developing roots. We have
not infrequently heard the remark made
that deep plowing in the cultivation of corn
wns important in order 10 break the roots,
ms they draw great part Of their nourish-
ment from the stalk. A little reflection
will satisfy any one that this theory is ad-
yocated through ignorance of the botanical
structure of the plant, and that this prac-
tice is calculated TO defeat the object
aimed nt-viz., the bcst possible returns
for the labor bestowed.
Hc,c to Use a Hoe.
The hoe serves other purposes than
merely that of chopping up weeds. This
is important, because the soil produces
crop Of weeds naturally, and that in spite
of the old tradition that it does SO because
o curse rests upon it. The earth is
bountcous mother to man, producing
very large part of his most wholesome
food, and is therefore very much more of
q blessing TO him than a curse. Tillage is
of the first importance; the better the soil
is titled the more generous are the crops,
and one of the most important details of
lillage is hoeing. But, in addition to
chopping down weeds, the hoe loosens the
surface OF the soil, when by reason of
heavy rains it has run together on the sur
face and become baked by the sun. AS
Glenny puts 1t, the pores of the soil be-
come closed up and the hoe remedies this.
And this obseryant gardener remarks, in
using the hoe, work straight before You,
slfcing the earth, as it were, by drawing
the instrument to you with a pressure
toward the ground, thereby cutting off
everything that comes in its wey; and if
you wish to stir the earth a little deeper,
turn the corner of the implement little,
when the same pressure makes it penetrate
deeper. You put the hoe to the ground n
foot or SO before your advancing foot, and
draw it close to you. This is the opera
ton, too. for thinning turnips, carrots,
phrsnips, spinach, and any other produce
that is sown too thick. You cut up all but
sufficient TO grow, and those you leave at
proper distances" AS a matter of course,
the hoe has to be applied with care in the
case of young crops not long through the
soil. AS yet the young plants have but
slight hold upon the soil, and care must be
taken not to disturb them, or they will be
in danger of being burnt up by the sun.
A careful hoer works by common sense
Among young fruit trees. roses, ETC.. the
soil may be stirred deeply without fear of
harm, because the crop is well estab-
lished.